The benefits of using a patch or mask device comprising skin active agents to cosmetically treat the skin, have been recognized in the art. A variety of cosmetic patches are commercially marketed and are useful for the delivery of skin actives. Patches have also been described in the literature and marketed in the medical field as a useful means for the transdermal administration of drugs.
Certain beauty care patch systems comprise an active reservoir in which the active is present in solid, liquid or dissolved form and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive by which the system can be brought into close contact with the skin. These systems are limited when the active does not diffuse through the adhesive layer, when a chemical reaction occurs between the active and the adhesive, when the active is insoluble or only poorly soluble in the adhesive or when the manufacturing process is complex.
A variety of manufacturing methods are used to assemble these patch products including printing methods. However, currently available printing methods for patch products suffer drawbacks. For example, current methods may result in inadequate adhesion of the printed fluids or films to the transfer substrate that is used and thus de-wetting may occur. It is also important to print an adequate quantity of active containing fluids to ensure adequate levels of active ingredients are provided in each unit dose of the product. If multiple printing stations are needed to provide adequate doses of active, this increases cost and complexity of the manufacturing process. If low viscosity fluids having excessive water are used, multiple drying stations are needed which again, adds cost and complexity to the process. From a manufacturing complexity stand point, it is desirable to minimize the use of multiple drying and printing stations. When a transfer substrate is used to transfer the active containing film to an adhesive or backing layer, current methods may also leave excessive residue on the transfer substrate.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved process for making a multi-layer beauty care product. It would also be desirable to use a transfer substrate that enables improved transfer of a water-soluble film/fluid to a pressure sensitive adhesive such that any problems with de-wetting is minimized.